Temporal changes in post-alighting resistance to Rhopalosiphum padi (bird cherry-oat aphid) in ancestral wheats

Abstract

AbstractAphids reduce wheat yield through feeding on phloem sap, inflicting direct and indirect damage to the plant. Currently no commercial wheat varieties have been bred for resistance to Rhopalosiphum padi (bird cherry-oat aphid). However, post-alighting resistance has been identified in Triticum monococcum lines at the seedling stage.To further characterise the resistance in T. monococcum at plant ages, we have investigated the development, survival and reproductive success of R. padi on two susceptible wheats Triticum aestivum (variety Solstice) and T. monococcum MDR037, as well as on the partially resistant T. monococcum MDR045 and MDR049, using one, two, 12 (flag leaf) and 20 week-old (inflorescence) plants.We found that the host plant resistance reduced development and reproductive success in aphids. However, the effect decreased with plant age on MDR045 but increased with plant age on MDR049.The observed resistance to aphids has strong potential for introgression into commercial wheat varieties, which could have an important role in Integrated Pest Management strategies to reduce aphid populations and virus transmission.